At a time of dramatic challenges such as the surge in pandemic cases, the multi-faith prayer is intended to be a moment of supplication for Divine blessing. Our goal is also to make the healing words of different faiths known to others as we ask our Creator to deliver us from difficulties.
It will be a pleasure to have you among us along with faith leaders from various traditions who will offer healing or prayer from their own tradition. The event will be broadcast live on YouTube and will also be posted on Rumi Forum’s YouTube channel for those who want to watch and share it later.
Event Video
Faith Leaders:
Rev. Kevin Gillespie, S.J. is the Pastor of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Washington, D.C. Before coming to Holy Trinity, Fr. Gillespie served as president of Saint Joseph’s University, Associate Provost at the Loyola University of Chicago, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Pastoral Care and Counseling at the Loyola University of Maryland. Fr. Gillespie is a psychologist of religion who has published in the areas of psychology and Catholicism; counseling and spirituality; post-traumatic growth and transcendence. He has presented programs in the US and on five continents.
Rabbi Chana Leslie Glazer is the Rabbi of Congregation Adat Reyim and a pluralistic Jewish spiritual leader and educator of all ages. She came to Adat Reyim in July 2020 from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA, where she served as the campus rabbi, Hillel advisor, and director of Jewish Life. Rabbi Glazer is deeply committed to Jewish pluralism and inclusion, having worked, lived, or studied with many denominations of Judaism – including the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, where she received her ordination, earning multiple honors and awards.
The Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. began his tenure at the Washington National Cathedral in April 2018. In his role as Canon Missioner, Dr. Hamlin oversees the Cathedral’s outreach and social justice initiatives, including gun violence prevention and racial justice and reconciliation. In particular, Dr. Hamlin assists in the building of partnerships and the equipping of the Cathedral community and the congregation to serve as the hands and feet of Christ in the world. Prior to his arrival at the Cathedral, Dr. Hamlin served as the Pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Arlington, Va. for 22 years.
Imam Faizul Khan is the founding member of the Islamic Society of Washington Area (ISWA), a diverse, growing, and religious community that started in 1973 in Silver Spring, Maryland. Imam Khan has been involved in social, religious, cultural, educational, and outreach programs in the community for over forty-five years. He is the Imam of ISWA, past Board Member of the Shura Council of Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), General Secretary of the Council of Muslim Organizations, (CMO) in the Washington Metropolitan Area, and serves as Director of three other regional Islamic organizations, including recently appointed as President of the Montgomery County Faith Advisory Council.
Rabbi Gilah Langner came to Kol Ami as the Spiritual Leader in 2016 after working in a variety of settings since her ordination as a rabbi in 2003. She is passionate about Jewish texts and learning, about bringing Jewish values to bear on social issues, and about empowering folks to find their spiritual core in Judaism. Rabbi Gilah served the congregation Shirat Hanefesh in Chevy Chase, MD, was principal of Shoreshim Hebrew School and the Kehila Chadasha Hebrew School, led Jewish meditation sessions at the Jewish Mindfulness Center of Washington at Adas Israel, spent eight years as a visiting chaplain both at Georgetown University Hospital and at senior residences, taught as an adjunct professor at The George Washington University and at the Catholic University of America, and co-directed the Washington Jewish Healing Network.
Nisa Muhammad is the Assistant Dean for Religious Life at Howard University. She is responsible for religious programming that serves the various needs of the campus, advocates for the religious needs of a diverse student population, teach non-academic personal enrichment classes on the Islamic tradition, and works closely as part of the staff in the Office of the Dean of the Chapel where the guiding principles are Faith, Service, and Justice. Her other responsibilities include organizing the Muslim worship and devotion services, counseling and advising students, faculty, staff, and responding to a myriad of questions and challenges from race to religion to relationships. Her work organizing the summer Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School program is highly accomplished and reaches national acclaim.
Matthew Regan is an elected officer for an umbrella organization of DC-area Buddhist temples. Founded in 1987, the International Buddhist Committee (IBC) of Washington, DC promotes inter-Buddhist and interfaith understanding through the annual International Vesak (Buddha’s birthday) celebration and other special events. He facilitates meetings, prepares meeting agendas, and complies with the minutes. Represents the IBC at interfaith and communities events.
Dr. Siva Subramanian is the chief of the Department of Neonatology, senior ethicist, and professor of Pediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynecology at Georgetown University Hospital. He became the first Hindu-American to be honored with the Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington’s ‘Interfaith Leadership Award’ at its 40th anniversary interfaith conference at the Washington Hebrew Congregation in 2019. He has also co-founded Sri Siva Vishnu Temple (1976), the Council of Hindu Temples of Northern America (1984), and the Hindu American Community Service Incorporation (2009).